Thread winding machine, particularly cop winding frame



Nov. 3, 1953 s. FURST 2,657,867

THREAD WINDING MACHINE, PARTICULARLY COP WINDING FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1949 Inventor: m 423w Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Sept. 21. 1949 S. FURST THREAD WINDING MACHINE, PARTICULARLY COP WINDING FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F F/ .6 a2 7 r 94 --5 11 a 7 :15 11a 9 o 94 712 .96 g fi 88 E-L W a- 4- 6 v 6 7"N Inventor".-

i atented Nov. 3, 195:;

THREAD WINDING MAOEINEJPER EICU- iLABiLYlCDPWINDINGZEIiA'ME' Stefan fi t M nchcnbach, G rmany, as-

" i nor"to'WeBe ne s, W nie G rman garner,

.Anpucaomsemmne. 21, 19 49, s.eiai -m..-iimne iq aim m mfi x. application Germany Apr-i116, 1949 This invention relates to *thread winding mechines and is particularly directed to cop' wind ing frames provided with a' plurality of winding places and novel automatic means adapted to automatically perfor'i'n' the "working actions required at each particular winding place after the winding-on the-cop has reached its-predetermined diameter or length prior to -the beginning of the winding Ofthe-neXtfollowing-cop.

It has already'been-known tdconstrucpwinding frames-of the aforesaid type iii whichat' the several independently working winding places, after the'winding has -obtainedthe desiredthick ness or length,--'a plurallty-of 1 workingactions 'designed to-effect th e e'xchangeof the cop areautomaticallytakingplace. *Iheperfcrmance o'f' these working actions 'is thereby usually caused and controlled by an operatingniechanismprovided attheworking place and adapted -to=begin=its activities after the windingoffthe cop has'been completedandto finish its-work before the Wind ing of the next following cop commences.

'Some ofthese k-nownoperatingmechanismsare provided with a 'plural ityof 1 disc cams or the like, which, after completion of the winding, operate and control in a definitely determine way'and sequence the driving spindle of the cop, the mechanism for the exchange of the cop, the means for the operation of the thread carrier and for the cutting-and fastening of thethread. These disc cams or "the like-are in -one of the known cop winding names arranged beside one another on a constantly rotating driving shaft to which they automatically become coupled *as soon as the cop reaches its predetermined'length and to which they remain positively connected until the winding operation at the particular winding place is started again. An operating mechanism of this type does reliable work, but requires an accurate adjustment "of the plurality of disc *cams-or'the like in order to insuretha't the several working actions are taking =p1ac'e'1in the proper -wayand correct-sequence. F'or "the same' reason it is further "necessary thatthe-operatingedges of the camsor the likeare devised in a-veryaccurateway, and that is' why operat ing mechanisms of this type require a comparatively high expenditure not only for the production but also for theassembly'of-theparts.

In orderto reduce the cost of:constru'ction of these machines it has a1ready been proposed to combine the operating means of aplurality'of otherwise independently working winding l places to a united operating mechanism, which is' in constant-motion and which upon completion "or the winding of a cop -'acts' upon :themeans -01 ii-claims; (c1. g g-1355s exchange for thatcop at the particular winding place in :question; 'But also this operating mechanismwrequires :for the performance of :the necessary operating and-controlling actionslatplura1ity=of cams, which iactuate a common swing.- ing shaft or' connecting trod extending .past said plurality of winding places I and adapted to actuate operating legvers :andpush .rods :or the dike arranged before the individual winding places. It isobvious, therefore, that operating means of this 'type, which in their entirety are common fo'r'ia .pluralitymf workingeplaces,nevertheless insclude' -a .certain number :of .-operating :members, such as levers and push rods, whose activiti'esare exclusively iconfined "t0 th particular working place to which ithey Lappertain. g-As, .moreover, this operating mechanism requires at .least two disc teams, which have ate the carefully manufactured and accuratelyiadjustediinposition.ingorder to insure a co'rrectperformance Lof the operating actions, and gas, in addition :to (that, .a plurality of heavy shafts t and t a large number of :levers a are needed, it-ziseasilycomprehensible;that with constantly working operating means of this lgind .a considerable reduction :of the cost :of .cop Winding machines :can not ':be :achieved. Moreover, the fewer the working \places, :the smaller ;the savings iwillibe, Whi18,.'011'311h,017h611h&11d,\theCOSI of operation .is .high :abecause of the constant rotation and heavy construction of tthese operating means.

"Contrary :to :this the invention contemplates to ;,Sim D1ify the iconstruction .of thread iwinding machines; particularly i;cop minding frames, :as muchas possible by the :use-of parts which can be manufactured at .:1o.w cost and which, (more over, can be easily; and; quickly; assembled; :so (that in addition :to :other .advantages 1a i-considerable recluction'ofetheiexpensesiisobtained.

Ilhe aforesaid-object :is attained :through 113118 provision ,of cto and :fro moving v operating .and controlling means, which, when lthe winding is going :on, are itemporarily arrested, and which, when the winding i011'th-G2CDPZ113S reached its predetermined thickness or length areiautomatically maused :to perform that :series of operating actionxrequiredior:theexchange ofithe copi until the :moment when the winding .of the next :followingfcopzcommences. r

An enerating :mechanism ,based; on .this princime is .of .simple construction and ireliablejn operation, asalhohthe-severail working-actions are caused and controlled Joy one single icontrolling member, which .for itl'liS ipurposevmerely performs azto and frovmovenient.

zcontrolling' imem'ber :may be employed a controlling or operating bar equipped with cams or stops or the like, which can be produced without diiiiculty and at low cost.

The invention further provides for cooperation with the controlling or operating bar a coupling pawl which is inactive while the winding is going on, but which, when the winding has been completed, is automatically released from its position of rest and then couples the controlling bar or the like to a constantly moving actuating member. In addition to this there is a locking lever which is stationarily mounted in the machine and adapted to lock the aforesaid coupling pawl in its inactive position as long as the winding is going on, but which when the winding has reached its end is automatically released from its locking position with respect to the pawl and thereby releases the pawl from its position of inactivity, while at the end of the cop exchange operation and prior to the u recommencement of the winding the pawl is caused through the backward movement of the operating and controlling bar to hit against the lever, whereby it is lifted out of its coupling engagement with the actuating member and locked again in its position of inactivity. The locking lever itself is preferably connected via a spring-loaded lever mechanism with a stop member which, when the winding has been completed, is acted upon either by that winding itself or by the thread carrier or by a measuring device recording the length of the wound-up thread.

The operating bar is further provided with two operating edges acting like cams and adapted for cooperation with two stop-members arranged at the disengaging means for the driving spindle. These operating edges and stopmembers are cooperating together in such a way that forward movement of the operating bar first causes the driving spindle to be thrown out of gear against the pressure of a spring or the like by which it is secured in driving engagement, whereupon, a moment later, the driving spindle is displaced and retracted to such an extent that the ready wound cop is thrown oif. During the backward movement of the operating bar the aforesaid actions will then take place in reversed order and at somewhat larger intervals, so that at the end of the backward movement the original condition is reestablished. It is advisable to combine with the disengaging means for the driving spindle a tipping trough and to provide the operating bar or the like with a shifting member adapted to extend into a stationary trough and to shift the cop caught up in the stationary trough during the forward movement of the operating bar into the adjacent tipping trough, which then when during the backward movement of the operating bar the release of the disengaging means for the driving spindle takes place is tilted into an inclined position to thereby remove the cop from the tipping trough.

The operating bar is also equipped with two stop-bolts adapted to act upon a stationarily mounted lever, having one of its arms connected with the cop-support feeding trough which feeds the cop-supports into the space between the cop-support holding means at the end of the driving spindle and the counter-bearing for the cop-support, and having another one of its arms linked to the thread cutting means.

Connected to the operating bar are further two guide members, one of which being designed to secure, in cooperation with a locking spring, the operating bar in immovable position while the winding is going on, while the other one serves as a means to shift the thread-carrier or the thread during the forward movement of the operating bar into the initial position in which the fastening of the thread at the driving spindle prior to the recommencement 0f the winding can take place.

The invention further proposes to use for the actuation of the operating bar a constantly forward and backward swinging gripping arm to which the aforesaid coupling pawl couples itself after it has been released from its position of rest. This gripping arm may be adapted for rotation by a constantly rotating disc or disc cam whose operating groove or edge should be so devised that the movements of the gripping arm, and consequently also that of the operating bar or the like, are thereby either retarded, accelerated or interrupted according to the length of the time periods required for the performance of the different working actions.

Summing up it can be said that the operating means and the lever system actuated by that operating means consist of simple structural parts requiring for their production no considerable outlay for material and manufacture. The individual parts can be easily assembled and adjusted in a comparatively short time and in such a way that the perfect operation of the winding machine is thereby reliably guaranteed. The simplicity and clearness of arrangement of the operating means make the supervision and control an easy matter and facilitate the quick and eiiicient elimination of any disturbance which may have occurred. These advantages are chiefly due to the fact that the operating and controlling member used in the machine merely performs a forward and backward movement, while for the actuation of that controlling member only a simple driving device is needed, as all of the necessary operating actions and the correct sequence of the latter are caused and controlled exclusively by that operating and controlling member. This remains true also when the controlling member is forced to perform the aforesaid non-uniform movement, which merely serves as a means to regulate the time-periods required for the execution of the various working actions, so that non-utilized portions of the controlling bar are almost completely avoided and that the length of the controlling bar can be reduced to what is absolutely needed.

The cop-support feeding device for a, thread winding machine, as disclosed in the present invention, may either consist of a cop-support storage vessel of known construction, or of an endless conveying mechanism, for instance a conveying chain, which, after the preceding copsupport has been passed on to the spindle, conveys another cop-support to the feeding device. If an endless conveying chain is being used, it is advisable to provide the winding place with a tracer adapted to test the cop-support feeding trough for the presence therein of a cop-support, and which, when a cop-support is needed, releases at the conveying chain a cop-support, which then slips into the empty feed trough. The invention further proposes to devise the actuating means of the cop-support conveying and feeding mechanism in such a way that a testing movement of the tracer takes place at every to and fro movement of the actuating means of the operating member, whereupon, after a -cop-support iha s been admitted to the feed trough, the endless conveying means are fed forward.

According to the invention the tracer is so devised-and soarranged that it is during' the testing movement shifting 1y displaced against the pressure of a spring, into the space above the feed trough, while the displ'acemt-m t :of the tracer is eliected by a to and fro moving lever, which is resiliently "coupled to its actuating means in such a manner that its forwaramove ment is discontinued whenever the tracer :hits against a cop-support positioned the trough. The tracer cooperates and coupled to a locking lever or the like which with one of its arms bears against the cop-support 4011 the conveying means, while the :conveym'g means are arranged in "inclined position in :such fa Way that the cop-support on -the conveying :means, after its release by the locking lever, auto.- matically slips from the conveying means into the feed trough.

A cop-support conveying and ieeding device of the aforesaid type is of simple construction and particularly well suited for a thread winding .ma. chine provided with an operating and control.- ling member adapted to :perform :a :to and fro movement and to be arrested from movement during the Winding, because its zactuation and control may with simple additional means be derived from and effected .by the :driving .means of the operating member. That is why :synchronization of the two driving means, necessary for the faultless operation of the machine, can be established without difficulty.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description takenlinzeonnection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. However, .it is :to be understood that the invention is not confined to strict conformity with the drawings, but may .be changed or modified, so long as such changes ,or modifications mark .no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed vin the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts :in all of the several figures,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a "Winding place of .a cop-Windmg frame;

.Figs. 2 ands .are modified forms of i c cams for the actuation'of the-lgrippin garm;

Fig. 4 is a front elevationof the .winding place, with some of the parts :removed foriclearness of illustration;

Figs. 5 and 5a are detail views on an enlarged scale of the thread-carrying means;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cop-Support conveying and feeding means;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of .the path of travel of some of the parts .during-the forward and backwardmovement of the operate ing bar.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral I -.(in Figs. 1,4 and .6) denotes the casing of the drivingand operating means. Rigidly secured to the framework ,of the .driving and operating means are the connecting rods 2 and 3, supported at their opposite .ends bya counter-bearing-4. The main-frameofthe winding device thus created has been ,mounted on a supporting member :5 on which a plurality of such winding :devices may be arranged beside onesanother. Shiftably'disposed on the rod 6 the thmad carrier support a, which by means of a thread eye '21, secured to the latter, guides the thread via the per se known thread guiding member'B'to thecop 9, According toFig. '5 the thread carrier support 45 may be provided with an arm 8! ip'rvdtall-y connected to the support 6 at 83 and carrying in a bearing 8 1 the thread guiding members. "The latter is driven b'ya shaft 21 via a releasable-clutch 85, :86. In this way it is possible to uncouple the thread guiding member 43, so that in case of breakage of the thread the finding of the-ends of the thread and the reconnecfiing of the latter is considerably facilitated. The cop 9 is secured in position between the bear.- ing 40 arranged at the counter-bearing 4 and the holding means at the endof the driving spind-le H. The bearing i0 is of the rotatable type and adapted for displacementin longitudinal "direction against the pressure of ;a spring, The driving spindle 4-1 is driven by a constantly motatingbelt 12 via a disengageable gear drive 13, M, which is secured driving engagement :by means of a spring 15 pressing via .an antifriotion bearing t6 against a disc rigidly .conneoted to the driving spindle l-l. Secureditoithe driving spindle 11 is a pinion i 8 which is in :d-riving engagement with :a gear 19 mounted on a hollow shaft 2 0, which hollow shaft then drives by means of the shaft a l, shiftably disposed in that hollow-shaft, the thread guiding member an. a

For shifting the gears I3, I 4 out of driving engagement the device is provided with :a lever 22, 23, which is pivotally mounted at :24 "and which cooperates with the disc 11. Rotatably fastened to th'e pivot 2 1 is a cranked lever 25, 2 6,

which is bearin'g against athelever 22, 23 and which at its :arm 26 is equipped with a finger "29 pivoted to the arm Mat 28. Thefin'ger 28 rests against a stop 30 provided at the cranked .:-lever 25, 26. Secured to gthe .opposite .end of the .bolt 2*! is a trough M, as illustrated in Fig. A. .The cranked lever 25, :26 is further provided at its arm 16 with :a projecting edge portion 51., which cooperates with an inclined edge portion 32 of a shiftable operating and controlling :bar it}, 3.4. The operating and controlling .bar is equipped, behind its portion :33, an operating edge 35, and, in addition to that, is provided with the stop-bolts 36, .31. The operating and controlling bar isisupported \in the trame by the guide members $9, 40, arranged at :the casing ,I ,and by a sheet-metal member A! lconnected to the operatinga'ndcontrolling vbar and secured with its ends flyflatotheconnectingrods Z, 3. .Bymeans of a locking .springidd the member v4| and the operating .and controlling bar 33, 34 connected thereto .are locked :during the winding in the position illustrated :in Fig. ;1. .-At.tache d ,to ,the member .41 as further .a shifting member 196, which extends into .a stationary trough H1 in which the ready-wound .cop is caught up after it :has been thrown aOfi. .A threeearmeri lever 38, x46, :41 mounted ;,on the pivot 45 of the casing I is :operated v:by the operating and icontrolling bar 3, iii-whose stop-bolts 36,..31 mayact upon the arm ,38 ;of the ,lever extending .in downward direction. .The arm 46 of the lever closes and opens bymeans ,of :a link 48 the scissors v49, 50, whilethexthird arm A! is coupled by ,a rodfil to a :lever 52 mounted on ;a shaft 53. The latter shaft, which is :rotatably iournaled .in the .frame ofith e casingand in theicounterabearing i, carries :the arms 54,155, .whicharerigidly secured .to the shaitand connected .wi th=,-each otherlat their n osite fien b this ie t t g h counter' be'aring 4 is further provided with the stop-rod 51, which is shiftably arranged in the counter-bearing for displacement in longitudinal direction and which is resting against a lever '59, 60 mounted on a pivot 58. Bearing against the arm 60 of this double-armed lever through the intermediary of a collar H9 is a rod 6|, having a spring mounted thereon at H8. The rod 61 is shiftably supported in the counter-bearing 4 and connected at its other end to a cranked lever 62, 63 pivoted at 64. Against the arm 63 of this lever bears a pawl 66, 61, which is pivotally mounted on a bolt 65 of the operating and controlling bar and provided with a recess 58 and a stop-edge 89. The machine is further provided with an arm to (Fig. 4) acting as a support for a container Bl in which the cop-supports to be wound are stored.

The temporary actuation of the operating and controlling bar 33, 34 is effected with the aid of an arm 18 provided with a coupling bolt 15. The arm 1!] is mounted on shaft 1| by which it is rotated into the position indicated at 10. For this purpose the arm 10 is connected to a lever arm 12, which engages by means of a roller 13, secured to the end of the arm 12, in a circular guide-groove 14 eccentrically arranged at a disc 18. The disc 16 is constantly rotating about a shaft 11, projecting from a supporting member 18, connected to a longitudinal support 19.

The operation of this device for the winding of cops takes place as follows:

While the winding is going on, the thread carrier support is gradually moved forward in the direction of the counter bearing 4 by a feed mechanism which is not a part of this invention and therefore not shown in the drawings. As soon as the cap 9 has obtained its predetermined length, the thread carrier support 6 hits against the stop-rod 51 and displaces the latter, forcing thereby via the two-armed lever 59, 60 the connecting rod 6| in backward direction against the pressure of its spring H8. The backward movement of the rod Bl results in the rotation of the cranked lever 62, 63 and in the release of the arm 58 of the pawl 86, 61, whereupon, because of its over-weight, the arm 61 will drop down and thus couple itself by means of its recess 68 to the constantly to and fro moving arm it as soon as the latter reaches its extreme position on the right. When after this the arm swings back to the left it pulls along with it the operating and controlling bar 33, 34 coupled to it through the intermediary of the coupling bolt i5 and the pawl 66, 61. The shifting movement of the operating and controlling bar which then takes place in the direction of the driving means, i. e. the movement toward the driving means, is diagrammatically illustrated by line I in the blank on the left side of Fig. 7. On its march to the left, the operating edge 32 of the operating bar hits against the projecting edge 31 of the cranked lever 25. 26, so that the latter is slightly rotated in clockwise direction. As a consequence thereof the arm 25 of the cranked lever is pushed against the lever 22, 23, forcing thereby the arm 22 of that lever against the disc l1 of the driving spindle H, so that the latter is slightly shifted toward the left with the result that disengagement of the gear-drive l3, I4 is effected. When during this disengaging action the lever arm 22 is bearing against the disc 11 it also exerts on that disc a braking effect, whereby the rotation of the driving spindle II is quickly brought to a standstill. The time of occurrence of the disengagement of the gears is illustrated by line 2 of Fig. 7. A moment later the operating edge 35 of the guide bar hits against the finger 29, which because of the stop 30 can not clear out of the way. That is why the cranked lever 25, 26 continues its rotary movement in clockwise direction with the result that the driving spindle II is forced toward the left to such an extent that the cop 9, secured in operating position between the holding means at the end of the spindle II and the bearing I0, is released from that position and drops into the trough I 11. This movement of the driving spindle l l is illustrated by line 4 of Fig. '1. When the operating bar 33, 34 further continues its movement toward the left, the sheet-metal member 4| hits with its upper end 43 against the thread carrier support 6, taking it along on its path toward the casing of the driving means. The latter movement of the thread carrier support is illustrated in the diagram of Fig. 7 by line 5. The forward movement of the member 4| further causes the shifting member 96 to push the cop, caught up in the trough I 11, into the tipping trough M, which, as hereinbefore already described, was swung through the rotation of the cranked lever 25, 26 about the pivot 21 into the position illustrated in dot-and-dash lines at M. While the cop is being shifted toward the trough M, the thread, to which it still is attached, arrives before the holding means of the driving spindle H and between the shanks of the scissors 49, 50. Shortly before the swinging arm 10 reaches its extreme position 10 on the left, the stop-bolt 31 of the operating bar hits against the lever arm 33, causing thereby (via the lever arm 41, the rod 5|, the lever 52 and the shaft 53) the rotation of the arms 54, 55, so that the cop-support in the feed trough 56 is brought into feeding position between the catch at the end of the driving spindle II, and the counter-bearing l3. lhe beginning and end of this swinging into feeding position of the feed trough is illustrated by line 6 of the diagram of Fig. '1. At the same time the arm 43 of the three-armed lever is moving toward the right and thereby closes, via the link 48, the scissors 49, 50. This results in cutting of the thread, while the upper end of the thread is clampingly retained at the scissors. The time when the closing of the scissors takes place is illustrated by line 1 of the diagram of Fig. '1.

When the swinging arm 10 has reached the position 10 it reverses its movement and begins to shift the operating bar 33, 34 back in the direction toward the counter-bearing 4. The first action effected during the backward movement of the operating bar, illustrated by path I on the shaded side of Fig. 7, is the clamping of the cop-support, contained in the feed trough 56, between the holding means at the end of the spindle II and the counter-bearing [0. See path 4 on the right side of Fig. '1. When the backward shifting of the operating bar toward the counter-bearing 4 begins, the finger 29 provided at the cranked lever 25, 28 moves back in anti-clockwise direction, not being hindered by stop 30 to perform this anti-clockwise rotation. As a consequence thereof the levers 25, 23 and 22, 23 instantly swing back under the pressure of spring I5 to such an extent that the driving spindle l l, which is now moving in the direction toward the right, can press the cop-support against the counter-bearing It]. When this is 9. taking place the gears l3, H are still in disengaged position, as at this stage of the backward movement the cranked lever 25, 26 has not yet been released by the operating bar. When the cop-support was clamped into operating position the thread was likewise clamped into position between the clamping means at the end ofthe driving spindle II and the adjacent end of the cop-support. The next actions resulting from the backward movement of the operating bar are the rotation in reversed direction of the feed trough 56 into receiving position beneath the storage case 8|, and, simultaneously therewith, the opening of the scissors 49, 56 (see path- 1 of the diagram of Fig. 7). These last two actions are caused by stop 36 of the operating bar hitting against arm 38 of the three-armed lever 38, 46, 41, forcing thereby the lever back to its original position. In the meantime the operating bar has approached its position of rest to such an extent that the edge 3| of the cranked lever 25, 26 can slip down on the edge 32 of the operating bar. This is the moment at which the driving spindle ll receives from spring its last push toward the right, so that the driving engagement between the coupling means I 3, M is reestablished and rotation of the driving spindle H and winding of the cop is started again. Thetime of occurrence of this reestablishment of the engagement of the coupling means is disclosed by path 2 in the shaded portion of Fig. 7. Through the aforementioned backward rotation of the cranked lever 25, 26 by means of the bolt 21 the trough M has been transferred to the inclined position illustrated in Fig. 1. That is why the cop lying in the trough will nowslip out of it and can be caught up in a suitable storage case. When finally the operating bar returns to its initial position, the pawl 66, 61 attached to" it hits with its arm 66 against the arm 63 of the cranked lever 62, 63, which, due to the pressure of the spring H8, has returned to its locking position. As a result of the blow, received by the arm 66. when hitting the arm 63, the pawl 66-, 61 is rotated inclockwise direction, causing thereby the release of the recess 68 in the arm 61 of the pawl from its coupling engagement with the coupling bolt 15 of the swinging arm 10. The operating bar is now back in its starting position, with the lower end 42 of the guide member 4| locked behind the locking spring 44. But the swinging arm still continues its swinging. movement between its two extreme positions until the winding of the cop clampingly secured between the driving spindle II and the counter-bearing Hihas been completed, whereupon the game commences all over again. Of course, it is also possible to start the operation in such a way that, as soon as the cop has obtained its predetermined length, the stop-rod 51 is not displaced by the thread carrier support 6, but by the cop itself, or by a measuring mechanism adapted to register the length of the thread wound ontothe cop, and which then, after the predetermined length has been reached, automatically displaces the stop-rod 5'1.

The foregoing description discloses that in a copwinding machine of the type described all of the several operating actions occurring between the moment of the completion: of the winding and the momentzof recommencement' of the winding, including the shifting into and out of engagement of the driving spindle and the exchange of the cops etc;, are controlled bythe toand fro movement of the operating bar. Con- 10 sidering, moreover, that not only the forward but also the backward movement of the operating bar are utilized for causing the operating actions and that, consequently, both of the movements are. working operations of the operating bar, it is obvious. that the path and. the length of the operating bar may be kept comparatively small. It seems advisable, therefore, to distribute the several operating actions over the forward and backward movement of the operating bar in such a way that the actions caused on the forward path are cancelled on the backward path, so that both movements may be utilized to greatest advantage, in the manner disclosed in the present invention.

It is understood, of course, that the length of the operating bar and the manner in which it is moving must be adjusted to each other in such a way that the desired result is thereby achieved. In the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1 the forward and backward movement, are effected, in conformity with the manner in which the swinging arm 10 is operated by the guide groove 14, in an essentially uniform way. This requires the provision at the bar of certain nonutilized portions, as in some cases after the beginning, of a working action a certain time must elapse before the next working action can be allowed to take place. It is possible, however, to shorten these non-utilized portions, if. the movement of the operating bar is temporarily retarded or interrupted. For this purpose it is merely necessary to devise the guide groove for the swinging arm in such a way that the required result is thereby attained. The guide grooves illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 have been modified accordingly. The form of construction of Fig. 3 shows clearly that the guide groove 14", disclosed in this figure, does not impart uniform motion to the swinging arm 10, but

temporarily delays, accelerates or interrupts the forward and backward movement of the latter and accordingly also that of the operating bar. By means of a guide groove like this it is possible to adjust the longitudinal movement of the operating bar to the time periods required for the performance of the individual working actions, without the provision of lengthy non-utilized portions. This peculiar construction of the guide groove has, naturally, no effect on the sequence of the operating actions, which now as before is exclusively determined by the operating bar itself, as illustrated in Fig. 1'. Hence, the special form of the guide groove merely has the effect that the operating path of the operating bar is thereby considerably shortened and that the effective length of the operating bar is reduced to a minimum.

It is also possible to substitute for the operating bar some other suitable operating mechanism, as for instance a forwardly and backwardly rotatable operating disc, chain, segment or the like, with whose aid it is likewise possible to" effect the operating actions necessary for the enforcement ofthe exchange of the cops etc.

Furthermore, it is not absolutely necessary to use a gripping armand a guide groove for the temporary actuation of the operating bar. The same effect can be obtained with the aid of a crankmechanism, eccentric drive or some other operating means producing a to and fro movement. If the device to beoperated is a copwinding machine provided with; a plurality of working or winding places, it is possible, as illustrated in the drawings, to equip every winding 11 place with special actuating means for the operating bar or the like. But it is also feasible to provide for a plurality of cops a common shaft II and appertaining guide groove or the like and to arrange on that shaft for every winding place a gripping arm 10 or some other operating means.

For the supply of cop-supports to the feed trough 55 a cop-support conveying mechanism may be employed as illustrated in Fig. 6. This conveying mechanism is particularly suited for machines equipped with a plurality of winding places arranged beside one another and includes an arm 80 connected to a bearing 89. R- tatably disposed in the bearing 89 is a shaft 90 carrying at one of its end the bevel wheel 9| and at the opposite side two sprocket wheels 92, 93 adapted to drive the chains 94 connected with each other by the receiving troughs 95 for the cop-supports 82. The cop-supports in the troughs are on the underside of the conveying chains 94 secured against dropping off by supports arranged at the arms 80 of the winding places. Similar supporting means, naturally, have to be provided at the two turning places of the conveying chains. If the conveying mechanism is arranged in the inclined position shown in Fig. 6 it is further necessary to protect the cop-supports on the upper side of the conveying chains against slipping through the provision between the several winding places of suitable supporting members devised in such a way that the cop-supports can rest against them with their pointed ends. In addition to these supporting members the invention provide at each of the several winding places a stop-lever H2, H3 pivotally mounted on the casing of the driving device at H4 and arranged in such a way that the upper cranked end of its arm H3 is positioned between the aforesaid supporting members. The arm II2 of the stop-lever is retained between the two stop-rings III of a tracer I01 shiftably disposed in a stationary support I08 for displacement in longitudinal direction and provided at one of its ends with the contact head I09. A spring H0 is at one side bearing against the support I08 and at the other side against one of the two stop-rings III. Displacement of the tracer I01 is effected against the pressure of the spring IIO by means of a lever I06 loosely mounted on the shaft II. Further attached to the shaft H is a cranked lever I02, I03 having its arm I03 connected to the lever I03 through the intermediary of a tension spring I05. Under tension of spring I the lever I00 is bearing against stop I04 of the lever arm I03. Rotatably coupled to the other arm I02 of the lever I02, I03 is a rod IOI carrying at its upper end a pawl 99. The pawl 99 acts upon a feed wheel 08 rigidly secured to a bevel wheel 91, which is in mesh with a bevel wheel 9| mounted on the shaft 90. The construction further includes a slide path II5 arranged between the feed trough 56 and the cranked end portion of the stop-lever H2, H3, and a stop IIB provided at the other end of the feed trough 56.

This cop-support conveying and feeding mechanism works as follows:

As has been disclosed before, the shaft II, used for the actuation of the operating means of the winding place, is constantly rotated in forward and backward direction. This means that the lever arm I02 is continuously moving upward and downward and that the conveying chain 94 is fed forward at regular intervals through the medium of the pawl-rod 99, IOI via 12 the gear wheels 90, 91, 9|. It is easy then to devise these conveying means in such a way that a plurality of winding places located beside one another are thereby supplied with cop-supports according to requirements.

Simultaneously with the lever arm I02 also the other arm I03 of the double-armed lever is being moved forward and backward, so that the lever I06, coupled to the arm I03 by means of the spring I05, is at regular intervals caused to hit against the tracer I01. This results in the compression of the weaker spring H0 and in the displacement of the tracer I01 when there i no cop-support in the feed trough 50. The consequence is that the stop-lever H2, H3 is rotated in clockwise direction and that the copsupport conveyed to the winding place by the conveying chain 94 is released from its blocked position by the stop-lever and thus slips via the slide-path II5 into the feed trough 56. This action of charging a cop-support into the feed trough 56 is completed, as indicated by line 3 on the left side of Fig. '1, before the feed trough is swung into the space between the holding means at the end of the driving spindle II and the counter-bearing I0. When the lever I06 swings back to the right, the tracer I01 slips back in the same direction and thereby returns the stop-lever H2, H3 to its original position.

If there is a cop-support in the feed trough at the moment the lever I06 hits against the tracer I01, the lever I00 will only be able to displace the tracer a very short distance, as the cop-support by hearing with its pointed end against the stop II6 will make a further displacement impossible. The consequence is that the stop-lever I I2, I I3 is not rotated to such an extent that the cop-support resting against the cranked end of the stop-lever is thereby enabled to slip off the conveying chain 94. In addition to this, the forward movement of the lever I06 toward the left has stopped. But the lever arm I03 continues its movement, so that its stop I04 is lifted off the lever I06, causing thereby the tensioning of the spring I05. However, the lever I06 is carried along again by the arm I03 when the latter is swinging back to the right.

The invention may be applied not only to copwinding machines operating without windingspindles, but also to cop-winding frames provided with a through-going winding-spindle or spindles. As in the latter case the cop has to be stripped off the spindle and to be replaced by a support to be wound, it is obvious that in a machine of that type the operating bar or the like has to accomplish a laborious task. That is why in a machine like that the operating bar or the like has to be provided with additional operating means adapted to actuate and control the auxiliary means required for the removal of the ready wound cop and the replacement of the latter by the cop-support to be wound.

The so-called tubular cop-winding machines in which the thread is wound onto the bare spindle, or in which only a short sleeve as support for the first layers of threads is employed. may also without difliculty be equipped with an operating mechanism as disclosed in the present invention but adapted to the special needs in question.

It is further possible to also use the operating mechanism and the cop-support conveying and feeding device disclosed in the present invention in other types of winding machines. such as traverse winding frames or machines for the winding of disc spools. The fact that in the lat ter type of machines the winding takes place in radial instead of axial direction does not require a fundamentally different construction of the operating mechanism, but merelya constructional modification of the operating bar or the like. As in machines of this kind a forward feeding of the thread carrier in axial direction of the winding does not occur, a backward shifting of the thread carrier after completion of the winding is likewise not necessary. It suflices, therefore, if at the end of the winding the thread is lifted by the operating bar or the like out of the thread carrying means and transferred to a position in which it can be clampingly secured between the end of the driving shaft and the copsupport to be wound. It is further possible to arrange the thread carriers in such a way that the thread, after having been lifted by the operating bar or the like out of the thread carrier, automatically slips back, through pull exerted in oblique direction, into the aforementioned position, in which it can again be seized by the thread carrier when the winding continues. But, naturally, it is also possible to design the machine in such a fashion that, whenever the thread is to be fastened in the thread carrier, the latter is adjusted in a corresponding position through action of the operating bar. A construction of this kind can be devised without difficulty when a to and fro swinging thread carrier is being used. The operating actions can be started in machines like this in the same Way as in cop-winding machines, viz. through a stop-bolt or the like, which, when the winding has been completed, is displaced through the swinging movement of a thread carrier caused by the growing diameter of the winding on the cop, or through the winding itself, or through a measuring device recording the length of the thread.

It will be understood that in referring in the claims to the forward and backward movement of the reciprocating and controlling member, such expression has reference not only to a sliding longitudinal or bodily movement but also to a rocking, rotary or other back and forth move ment.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a cop-winding frame for winding cops on suitable supports, in combination, a driving spindle, a power source for said spindle, means associated with said spindle for supporting a cop in winding position, a supply of thread, means driven by said spindle for guiding the thread on said cop, means for disconnecting said spindle from its power source and arresting its movement, for detaching and removing the wound cop from its winding position and from the winding place, means for conveying a cop support to be wound to the winding place to replace the wound cop and securing it in winding position, a controlling member for the winding and replacing operations, and means actuated upon the completion of the winding of a cop to impart a single forward and backward movement to said controlling member, said controlling member during said movement engaging sequentially the various said means in order to effect the removal of the wound cop together with its replacement by an unwound cop support and the resumption of winding on the unwound cop support.

2. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including constantly moving actuating means ad- Jacent said. operating and controlling member; a coupling pawl pivotally arranged on said op,- eratingand controlling member and adapted to swing into and outof coupling position with said constantly moving actuating means; a locking lever pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to look said coupling pawl in uncoupled position during the winding of thecop; and a lever mechanism suitably arranged at that frame and provided at one end with a connecting rod pivotally secured to said locking lever and a return spring mounted on said connecting rod and at the other end with a stop-member, said stopmember being adapted to be acted upon by the completion of the winding of the cop to thereby release via said lever mechanism, connecting rod and locking lever said coupling pawl from said lockedv position and cause it to swing into coupling position with said constantly moving actuating means.

3.. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a spring mounted on said driving spindle for securing said spindle in driving position; a pair of operating edges provided on said operating and controlling member; displacing means for the displacement of said driving spindle from its driving position upon completion of the winding of the cop; and stop-members provided on said displacing means and cooperating with said operating edges, said stop-members being adapted when acted upon by said operating edges of said operating and controlling member during said forward movement of the latter to cause said displacing means to first displace said driving spindle from its driving position against the, pressure of said spring and then further displace said driving spindle to such an extent that the cop is discharged from its supporting means, while during the backward movement of said operating and controlling member said stopmembers will cooperate with said operating edges in such a waythat the initial condition is thereby reestablished in reversed order.

4. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a pair of operating edges provided on said operating and controlling member; displacing means for the displacement of said driving spindle from its driving position upon completion of the winding of the cop; stop-members provided on said displacing means cooperating with said operating edges, said stop-members being adapted when acted upon by said operating edges to cause said displacing means to displace said driving spindle to such an extent that the cop is discharged from its supporting means; a stationary trough arranged to receive the discharged cop; a tipping trough secured to said displacing means adjacent said stationary trough and adapted to be tilted into inclined position during the backward movement of said operating memher; and shifting means carried with said operating and controlling member and adapted to extend into said stationary trough and to shift during the forward movement of said operating member the cop caught up in said stationary trough into said adjacent tipping trough, which latter during the backward movement of said operating member is tilted into said inclined position for the discharge therefrom of said cop.

5. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a three-armed lever pivotally mount-' ed on said frame; a feed member for the copsupport to be wound pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to be rotated into feeding position between said means for supporting the cop in winding position, said feed member bein connected with one arm of said three-armed lever for rotation thereby into and out of feedin position; a cutting device for cutting the thread of a ready-wound cop connected with another arm of sai three-armed lever for operation thereby; and two stop-members provided on said operating and controlling member and adapted to act upon the third arm of said threearmed lever to thereby cause said other arms of said lever to operate said feed member and said cutting device.

6. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a guide member secured to said operating and controlling member; a locking spring suitably positioned for cooperation with said guide member and adapted to lock said operating and controlling member in its position of inactivity while the winding is going on; a second guide m mber secured to said operating and controlling member and adapted to bear during the forward movement of said operating and controlling member against said thread guiding means to thereby shift said thread and thread guiding means into a position adjacent the end of said driving spindle for fastening said thread to said cop-support to be wound.

7. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a two-armed lever rotatably mounted on a shaft; a roller rotatably secured to the free end of one of said lever arms; a coupling pin fastened to the free end of the other lever arm; a coupling pawl pivotally arranged on said operating and controlling member and adapted to automatically swing into coupling engagement with said coupling pin on said lever arm upon completion of the winding of said cop and to be automatically disengaged from said coupling engagement at the end of said series of working actions uired for the replacement of the ready-avound cop by the cop-support to be wound prior to the restarting of the winding; and a constantly rotating disc provided with a guide groove adapted to receive said roller and to thereby impar via said roller-bearing lever arm swinging motion to said pin-bearing lever arm, said guide groove being so shaped and related to the axis of said disc that the swinging motion imparted to said pin-bearing lever arm is varied in speed according to the time periods required for the performance of the different working actions.

8. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a tracer adapted to test said copsupport feeding means for the presence or absence therein of a cop-support and to cause said conveying means to supply when needed a copsupport to said feeding means; a forward and backward moving actuating member for the actuation of said operating and controlling member; and actuating means for said cop-support conveying and feeding means, said actuating means for said conveying and feeding means bein so devised and so coupled to said actuating member of said operating and controlling membe): that at every forward and backward movement of said actuating member of said operating and controlling member said tracer is automatically forced to perform a testing movement and to cause whenever a support is needed said conveying means and said actuating means thereof to supply a cop-support to said feeding means and to feed said conveying means forward one step.

9. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a cop-support feed trough adjacent said means for supporting the cop in winding position; a shiftable tracer adjacent said feed trough and adapted to test said feed trough for the presence or absence therein of a cop-support; a spring mounted on said tracer and adapted to maintain said tracer in retracted position; a lever suitably arranged with respect to said tracer; and actuating means for said lever adapted to cause said lever to exert resilient pressure against said tracer and to discontinue said pressure if said tracer because of said pressure hits against a cop-support in said trough.

10. A cop-winding frame as specified by claim 1, including a cop-support feeding trough adjacent said means for supporting the cop in winding position; a shiftable tracer adjacent said feed trough and adapted to test said feed trough for the presence or absence therein of a copsuppcrt; a spring mounted on said tracer and adapted to maintain said tracer in retracted position; supporting means for said conveying means adapted to support said conveying means and cop-supports carried thereon in inclined position with respect to said feed trough; a two-armed locking lever coupled with one arm to said spring-loaded tracer and looking with its other arm one of said cop-supports in its inclined position on said conveying means; and actuating means for said conveying and feeding means adapted to exert pressure against said tracer to thereby force said tracer to perform a testing action and to cause when a cop-support is needed said locking lever to release a cop-support on said conveying means, which then slip from its inclined position into said feed trough.

STEFAN FiiRsr.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,103 Hooper Dec. 15, 1914 1,970,188 Reiners Aug. 14, 1934 2,040,023 Reiners May 5, 1936 2,176,970 Kimpton Oct. 24, 1939 2,369,606 Reiners Feb. 13, 1945 

